How To Stay Protected From Phone Spoofing Fraud

The Fraud Prevention team at First International Bank & Trust (FIBT) wants customers to know of an ongoing type of fraud scammers are using to target banking customers: phone spoofing.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, “Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.”

Customers have reported that they are receiving calls from fraudsters claiming to be FIBT – with caller ID that suggests as such. The fraudster may claim to be from the “fraud department” or the “card department,” then say that they need to verify transactions and account information. Then, the bad actor may ask the customer for their PIN number, card numbers, account numbers, Social Security number, one-time passcodes, and other private financial data.

Because scammers can spoof the caller ID of reputable organizations like FIBT, it is very important to know that we will never call and ask you for online banking credentials, account/card numbers, personal information, PIN numbers, or one-time passcodes. If you receive such a call, hang up – then call a bank phone number you have on record, from www.FIBT.com, or inside online banking. That way, you know you’re really talking to us.

Here are a few more recommendations from the FCC to help you avoid falling victim to a phone spoofing scam:

• Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
• If you answer the phone and the caller, or a recording, asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
• Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes” or “No.”
• Never give up personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords, or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.

We encourage you to share this information with your friends and loved ones. By remaining vigilant of ongoing fraud efforts, you can help us keep your personal and financial information safe.

Visit the Education Center at FIBT.com for even more tips on keeping your finances safe and secure!